Cameroon said Russia had confirmed the deaths of 16 of its nationals who were killed while fighting for Moscow in its war against Ukraine.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that the central African nation acknowledged the deaths on state television by urging relatives of the deceased to contact the foreign ministry for further information.
The outlet also cited a “Cameroonian diplomatic note” on Monday that mentioned “military contractors of Cameroonian nationality” who died in a special military operation zone – terms that align with Moscow’s official designation for its Ukraine invasion.
The document did not provide details on the circumstances of their deaths or explain how the 16 men became involved with Russia.
Cameroon had not previously acknowledged that its citizens were fighting for Russia, despite reports in local media describing appeals from families seeking information about relatives believed to have been recruited by Russian authorities.